Passing Over Death

In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, Israel recovered the Law of the Lord and reestablished biblical authority throughout the kingdom. They reinstituted the Passover in such a way that it surpassed any Passover celebration in hundreds of years (v. 18).

Four times the writer refers to the authority behind the Passover preparations: The word of the Lord commanded through Moses (vv. 6, 12), the orders of worship given by David (v. 15), and the spiritual leadership of Josiah (v. 16). In another instance we see Josiah act without an explicit reference to authority: contributing his own wealth to the Passover (v. 7). It seems in this instance that Josiah was applying wisdom to determine his actions. It would be wise for the king to ensure that enough lamb was available for the Passover sacrifices, even if it meant he needed to contribute personally.

Josiah held a Passover that pleased the Lord by obeying the Word of God, following the precedent of David, and applying his own wisdom. The people of God in Judah and the remnant of Israel all gathered to observe this momentous occasion of obedience. Josiah’s legacy of faith was so great that he continued to be mourned after his death in laments composed by the prophet Jeremiah (vv. 24–25).

In much of our spiritual practice, we should follow the commands of Scripture, but we might also have particular church or denominational traditions that influence our worship as well. Certain situations call for us to exercise wisdom and good judgment. Not every detail of worship is rigidly prescribed in the Bible, and therefore we can acknowledge that cultural or denominational differences can be acceptable variations of worship that pleases the Lord.

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BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond

Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It!  Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).